Sting via Matrix

Sting

THE INTEGRATED GLOBAL
CREATIVE ECONOMY

promulgated by
The Brazilian Ministry of Culture

fomented by
The Bahian Secretary of Culture

fomented by
The Palmares Foundation
for the promotion of Afro-Brazilian Culture

fomented by
The National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples

I CURATE/pathways out

Network Node

Name: Sting
City/Place: London
Country: United Kingdom

CURATION

from this node by: Matrix+

Life & Work

Bio: Born 2 October 1951, in Wallsend, north-east England, Gordon Sumner's life started to change the evening a fellow musician in the Phoenix Jazzmen caught sight of his black and yellow striped sweater and decided to re-christen him Sting. Sting paid his early dues playing bass with local outfits The Newcastle Big Band, The Phoenix Jazzmen, Earthrise and Last Exit, the latter of which featured his first efforts at song writing. Last Exit were big in the North East, but their jazz fusion was doomed to fail when punk rock exploded onto the music scene in 1976. Stewart Copeland, drummer with Curved Air, saw Last Exit on a visit to Newcastle and while the music did nothing for him he did recognise the potential and charisma of the bass player. The two hooked up shortly afterwards and within months, Sting had left his teaching job and moved to London.

Seeing punk as flag of convenience, Copeland and Sting - together with Corsican guitarist Henri Padovani - started rehearsing and looking for gigs. Ever the businessman, Copeland took the name The Police figuring it would be good publicity, and the three started gigging round landmark punk venues like The Roxy, Marquee, Vortex and Nashville in London. Replacing Padovani with the virtuoso talents of Andy Summers the band also enrolled Stewart's elder brother Miles as manager, wowing him with a Sting song called 'Roxanne'. Within days Copeland Senior had them a record deal. But the hip London music press saw through The Police's punk camouflage and did little to disguise their contempt, and the band's early releases had no chart success. So The Police did the unthinkable - they went to America.

The early tours are the stuff of legend - bargain flights to the USA courtesy of Freddie Laker's pioneering Skytrain; driving their own van and humping their own equipment from gig to gig; and playing to miniscule audiences at the likes of CBGB's in New York and The Rat Club in Boston. Their tenacity paid off though as they slowly built a loyal following, got some all important air-play, and won over their audiences with a combination of new wave toughness and reggae rhythms.

They certainly made an odd trio: guitarist Summers had a career dating back to the mid-60s, the hyper-kinetic Copeland was a former prog-rocker, and Sting's background was in trad jazz and fusion. The sound the trio made was unique though, and Sting's pin-up looks did them no harm at all. The band returned to the UK to find the reissued 'Roxanne' single charting, and played a sell-out tour of mid-size venues. The momentum had started. The debut album 'Outlandos d'Amour' (Oct 78) delivered three sizeable hits with 'Roxanne', 'Can't Stand Losing You' and 'So Lonely' which in turn led to a headlining slot at the '79 Reading Festival which won the band some fine reviews, but it was with 'Reggatta de Blanc' (Oct 79) that the band stepped up a gear.

Reggatta's first single, 'Message In A Bottle', streaked to number one and the album's success was consolidated further when 'Walking On The Moon' also hit the top slot. The band was big, but about to get even bigger. 1980 saw them undertake a world tour with stops on all continents - including the first rock concerts in Bombay - and the band eventually returned to the UK exhausted, for two final shows in Sting's hometown of Newcastle. Much of this groundbreaking tour was captured on the 'Police Around The World' video and a BBC documentary entitled 'The Police in the East'.

Within weeks, the band were in a Dutch studio recording new material but Sting's stock of pre-Police songs and ideas were wearing out. When 'Zenyatta Mondatta' was released (Oct 80) although it sold well and produced another number one single in 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' and a top five hit with 'De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da' a rethink was required. Sting later admitted that he felt 'Zenyatta' was the band's weakest album but by the end of 1980 the band were undoubtedly the biggest-selling band in the country selling out two shows in a huge marquee on Tooting Bec Common in London.

Changes materialised on 1981's 'Ghost In The Machine', a rich, multilayered album which was augmented not only by Jean Roussel's keyboards and Sting's self taught saxophone playing, but by particularly strong writing contributions from both Copeland and Summers. The album still had the now expected clutch of hit singles with 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' making number one, the bleak 'Invisible Sun' reaching number two (despite a BBC ban being slapped on its video) and 'Spirits In The Material World' also charting, but it was a much darker and complex album than its predecessors and, to many, more satisfying.

During this period Sting took the lead role in Richard Loncraine's big-screen version of Dennis Potter's controversial play "Brimstone and Treacle" as well as in the BBC production "Artemis '81". In the late 70's he had appeared in a couple of movies - a minor part in Chris Petit's "Radio On" and an excellent cameo in Franc Roddam's "Quadrophenia" but "Brimstone and Treacle" was a major role and Sting took up a good deal of screen time opposite Joan Plowright and Denholm Elliot. The Police also contributed music to the movie's soundtrack and indeed Sting had a surprise solo hit with the track 'Spread A Little Happiness'. Also during this period he made his first solo appearances at 'The Secret Policeman Ball' benefits in aid of Amnesty International demonstrating a burgeoning interest in humanitarian causes.

Sting and The Police decamped to Air Studios in Montserrat to begin recording what would be their final studio album, 'Synchronicity', at the turn of 1983. The album was preceded by the release of a new single 'Every Breath You Take' (May 83) which immediately went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic and simply stayed there. Dressed up as a love song, the song was anything but - its sinister theme being one of obsession and surveillance. More than twenty years later, the song is one of the most played records on American radio having clocked more than seven million plays. With such a stand-out track the album couldn't fail and it duly took its rightful place at the top of the world's charts as the band started a spectacular stadium tour of the States, the high spot of which was a sell-out show in New York's Shea Stadium. Further hit singles in the shape of 'Wrapped Around Your Finger', 'King of Pain' and 'Synchronicity II' helped maintain the album's success, but despite the album collecting three Grammies awards, the writing was on the wall for The Police.

The band's tense relationship was slowly breaking down and after the Shea Stadium show Sting told the others that it was time to take a break. The 'Synchronicity' tour finished in March 1984 and the three went their separate ways. Copeland to movie scoring, Summers to guitar duets and jazz, and Sting initially to acting. A lead role in "The Bride" and supporting parts in "Plenty" and "Julia and Julia" followed before Sting picked up a guitar again. And when he did, it was not a bass.

In June 1985, Sting released his first solo album 'The Dream Of The Blue Turtles' and it was a revelation. Featuring the cream of America's young, black jazz musicians - Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, Omar Hakim and Darryl Jones - the album showed that Sting had lost none of his songwriting ability by being outside of the Police camp. The new material had a more political stance - 'We Work The Black Seam' dealt with the miner's strike, 'Children's Crusade' with drugs, and 'Russians' with the West's demonisation of communism. He even wrote what he termed "an antidote song" to 'Every Breath You Take' in the shape of 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free'. The album was premiered in a series of shows at Paris's Mogador Theatre - a period captured in Michael Apted's rockumentary "Bring On The Night" - and the band were magnificent. The success of the album, a solo appearance at Live Aid, and a well received world tour were proof that Sting had no need for the safety net of The Police - he had not only a retained a fan base he had started to build another one.

'...Nothing Like The Sun' (Oct 1987) was another strong collection of songs, containing perennial favourites 'Englishman In New York' and 'Fragile'. Sting even got himself banned from Chilean radio thanks to 'They Dance Alone', a haunting song that resulted from his meeting with some of South America's "Mothers of the Disappeared". Released shortly afterwards was a mini-album 'Nada Como El Sol' which featured several of the album's songs in Spanish and Portuguese, and which strengthened his popularity further in Latin America. His new band included Kirkland and Marsalis, Delmar Brown, Jeff Campbell and Tracey Wormworth, with Sting content to sing, dance and play occasional guitar. In mid tour, Sting joined the Amnesty International "Human Rights Now!" tour alongside Bruce Springsteen and Peter Gabriel for several huge fundraising concerts.

The loss of his parents in quick succession had hit Sting hard and one of the world’s most famous songwriters was suffering from writers block. Returning to his childhood memories for inspiration, Sting produced 1991’s 'The Soul Cages'. Depending on your point of view it was either impenetrably dense or his strongest work - only the listener can decide. The album still sold well, the title track collected a Grammy, and the live shows saw a stripped down rock band of Dominic Miller (guitar), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and David Sancious (keyboards) with Sting returning to the bass. During the tour a very popular MTV unplugged session was recorded in New York and this was followed by a small acoustic gig at a Wallsend Arts Centre some of which was released on the Acoustic Live In Newcastle set.

Sting and Trudie married in 1992, and bought Lake House in Wiltshire where the writing and recording of 'Ten Summoner's Tales' took place (Mar 1993). As upbeat as 'The Soul Cages' was downbeat, it was a remarkable album, and won universal praise from the critics. The album contained instantly likeable tracks such as 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You', 'Fields Of Gold', 'Seven Days' and 'Shape of My Heart'. It also hinted at what was to come on later albums with its mix of musical genres and styles. During the inevitable world tour he found time to record a Stateside number one by performing with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart on 'All For Love' from the "The Three Musketeers" soundtrack and to add another three Grammies to his awards collection. The following year saw the release of the retrospective 'Fields Of Gold - The Very Best of Sting 1984-1994' which included two new tracks 'This Cowboy Song' and 'When We Dance'.

During 1995 Sting was writing and recording songs for a new album, 'Mercury Falling' (Mar 1996) a release which showed an increasing tendency for him to risk commercial success by writing primarily to please himself and his band. Foregoing standard pop and rock fare, he was now writing country tunes such as 'I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying', bossa nova such as 'La Belle Dame Sans Regrets', gospel tinged material such as 'Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot' and songs in devilishly difficult time signatures like 'I Hung My Head'.

He was also becoming more involved in contributing songs to movie soundtracks - there had always been a demand for Police songs, but in 1993 he had been approached to write the theme song for "Lethal Weapon 3", and together with Eric Clapton and Michael Kamen he duly complied with 'It's Probably Me'. A reworking of The Police's 'Demolition Man' followed for the film of the same name, as did the recording of several jazz standards for the "Leaving Las Vegas" and "Sabrina" soundtracks. 'Mercury Falling' continued this trend with 'Valparaiso', which was used in the movie "White Squall". Puff Daddy's reworking of 'Every Breath You Take' (in the shape of 'I'll Be Missing You') brought Sting's earlier work to the notice of a new generation, and he and Pras from the Fugees reworked 'Roxanne' in 1997. Further soundtrack contributions to "The Mighty" and the remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair" followed, as did a cameo acting role in the biggest British movie of 1998, "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels". During this time he was also writing songs for Disney for the soundtrack to the 'The Emperor's New Groove' movie which was released in 2000.

The highly anticipated 'Brand New Day' album (Sep 1999) proved to be Sting's most popular album in terms of sales - in excess of eight million copies world-wide. If 'Mercury Falling' mixed genres, 'Brand New Day' took it a step further - the title track was full of optimism and renewal, a true millennium message. The remarkable, arabesque 'Desert Rose' featured the prince of rai music, Cheb Mami, and brought arabic flavoured music to traditionally conservative US radio. 'Fill Her Up' crossed country with gospel, 'Perfect Love...Gone Wrong' included French rap, and 'Big Lie Small World' was gentle bossa nova. This was undoubtedly one of Sting's finest albums.

The subsequent tour was a staggering success with Sting playing his longest ever tour - close to 300 shows in 45 countries to just under 3 million people. As the tour finished in July with two celebratory show at London's Hyde Park, Sting was already planning his next project. He would take the 'Brand New Day' songs back to their birthplace - Italy - where he would record a live album in front of an audience of fan club members and friends that would see the material reworked and remodelled. Plans for a simultaneous webcast of the concert on September 11 were postponed as a mark of respect for the victims of the heinous terrorist acts in the USA, but the show went ahead and the results can be heard on the compelling 'All This Time' album/DVD. The powerful emotions of that evening can be heard throughout the performance from band and audience alike. Sting not only kept his promise to rework the songs from the 'Brand New Day' album but he also delved deep into his back catalogue producing magical versions of solo favourites like 'All This Time' and 'When We Dance', as well as reworkings of Police classics like 'Roxanne' and 'Don't Stand So Close To Me'.

After the end of the mammoth 'Brand New Day' world tour Sting contributed further songs to a number of movie soundtracks including 'Until...' (from Kate & Leopold) and 'You Will Be My Ain True Love' (from Cold Mountain), with both songs receiving nominations for Golden Globe and Oscar recognition. He also took time out to write a critically acclaimed memoir entitled "Broken Music", which was a fascinating and revealing account of his life from childhood to the first flushes of fame with The Police.

'Sacred Love' (Sep 2003) was accompanied by a sumptuous DVD companion piece recorded in Los Angeles. The subsequent tour which started in January 2004 was a lavish production with backscreens and video incorporated into the show. A tour of small theatres in the USA was followed by a visit to Europe before a return to the US for a summer amphitheatre tour headlining with Annie Lennox. A further visit to Europe was followed by Australasian dates including two shows in India and a Tsunami Benefit concert in Australia which raised an estimate dÂ£1.6m. 2004 also saw Sting recognised as Musicares' Person of the Year, made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, and at an emotional event back home in Newcastle he was honoured by the Variety Club of Great Britain. He and Mary J. Blige also collected a further Grammy award for 'Whenever I Say Your Name'.

With only a matter of weeks passing since the finish of the 'Sacred Love' tour, Sting was ready for a change. With a new stripped down, rockier sounding four piece band comprising bass, two guitars (Dominic Miller and Shane Fontayne) and drums (Josh Freese) he undertook a six week tour billed as 'Broken Music' playing a career spanning mix of tunes across the US in mainly college venues and cities he has not previously played. Sting also took the opportunity on this tour to visit many colleges as a guest lecturer where he spoke to English classes about the process of writing his memoir and to music classes about songwriting and the music business.

Spring 2006 saw Sting return to his home town where he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music by Newcastle University, and the summer months saw him take the 'Broken Music' tour to Europe where he played in 27 countries in two months with a slightly revised line up of Dominic Miller and Lyle Workman on guitars and Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums. These shows proved as successful with fans and critics alike as the previous Spring's jaunt around the States had done.

As unpredictable as ever, October 2006 saw Sting turn his attentions to a long-standing interest in the work of acclaimed Elizabethan songwriter John Dowland, with the release of 'Songs From The Labyrinth', an album featuring the talents of virtuoso Bosnian lutenist Edin Karamazov. Sting explained, "I'm not a trained singer for this repertoire, but I'm hoping that I can bring some freshness to these songs that perhaps a more experienced singer wouldn't give. For me they are pop songs written around 1600 and I relate to them in that way; beautiful melodies, fantastic lyrics, and great accompaniments." The album was a critical and commercial success topping classical charts across the world with the album outselling all previous Dowland releases in its first week of release. Indeed, despite its release late in the year, the album was the best selling classical album of both 2006 and 2007 on the Billboard end of year chart.

In February 2007, Sting stunned everyone when together with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers The Police reformed for a performance at the annual Grammy awards, where he announced, "We're The Police and we're back!" At a press conference in Los Angeles' Whisky A Go-Go club the following day the band performed again and confirmed what was now the world's worst kept secret: that they would be starting a world tour. After rehearsals in Italy and Canada the band opened their tour with a final rehearsal performance for fan club members and two further shows at Vancouver's GM Place in May 2007. A heady combination of nostalgia from older fans who saw the band first time round and intrigue from younger ones who only knew the band from their recordings was supported by ecstatic press reviews and shows sold out around the world in record time as more than 2.5 million tickets were sold.

The reformed band proved even more popular than on their 'Synchronicity' tour with sold out shows at many of the most historic and renowned stadiums around the world including: Fenway Park (Boston); Wrigley Field (Chicago); Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles); Twickenham Stadium (London); Stade de France (Paris); Croke Park (Dublin) and River Plate Stadium (Buenos Aires). The Dublin show alone saw the band play to more than 81,000 fans - their largest ever audience. Among the accolades garnered by the tour were "Major Tour of The Year" (Pollstar), as well as "Tour of the Year" and "Top Selling Tour of 2007" (Billboard Magazine). In February 2008 the band announced a third tour swing through North America supported by Elvis Costello and the Imposters, which in addition to their summer tour of festivals and stadiums in Europe would see the band on the road until August 2008.

A handful of concert appearances in mid 2009 disguised the fact that Sting was also recording a new solo album, and naturally, it was not what was expected. Taking the winter as it's over-arching theme, Sting instead recorded a selection of ancient hymns, carols, folk songs and re-recorded a small selection of his own songs with a hugely talented group of musicians including Dominic Miller and Kathryn Tickell. The resulting album 'If On A Winter's Night...' was release in Autumn 2009, and the songs on the album received a world premiere in the magnificent setting of Durham cathedral, in Sting's native northeast England where the two performances were also filmed for a feature length DVD/TV programme. Further shows in New York, Paris and Baden Baden followed before Christmas 2009.

2010 found Sting performing occasional live shows in places like Dubai, Venezuela and Colombia with a core band of Dominic Miller and David Sancious and one of a selection of drummers - Vinnie Colauita, Abe Laboriel Jr and Josh Freese - depending on their respective availability. The main live activity of the year though was the 'Symphonicity' tour with the Royal Philaharmonic Concert Orchestra and a quintet consisting of Dominic Miller, David Cossin, Jo Lawry, Rhani Krija and Ira Coleman. The tour found him performing his most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement, conducted by Steven Mercurio (Pavarotti, Bocelli). The tour played across North America in June and July, arriving in Europe in the autumn and continues in Australasia in 2011. An album of studio recorded tracks, 'Symphonicities', was released in July 2010 with a live CD/DVD recorded at Berlin's O2 World released in late November before the tour headed back to Europe in the summer of 2011 with dates conducted by Sarah Hicks.

The autumn of 2011 saw Sting celebrate his 60th birthday with a star studded concert at New York's Beacon Theatre where artists including Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Lady Gaga all performed. An innovative iPad app also accompanied a lavish boxed set retrospective collection entitled 'Sting: 25 Years'. In October 2011 Sting was on tour once again, this time in a stripped down format under the banner of 'Back To Bass'. The string of North American dates were performed with Dominic Miller, his son Rufus Miller, Vinnie Colaiuta, violinist Peter Tickell and vocalist Jo Lawry. In early 2012, Sting held some development performances of his work-in-progress, the musicial play 'The Last Ship' in Newcastle. These were read throughs with local actors and new material was played publicly for the first time. The Back To Bass tour then continued throughout 2012 across Europe and parts of Asia with the addition of keyboardist David Sancious, and revisited North America and Europe through the summer of 2013.

September 2013 saw the release of 'The Last Ship', the first album of original material since 2003's 'Sacred Love'. Inspired by the play of the same name the album explores the central themes of homecoming and self-discovery, drawing upon his memories of growing up in the shadow of the Swan Hunters Shipyard in Wallsend. To coincide with the release Sting performed ten benefit shows featuring the new material at New York's Public Theatre in September/October 2013. 'The Last Ship' had a well-received off-Broadway run in Chicago during summer 2014 and opened on Broadway in late September that year running for over 100 performances. In between these bouts of activity on 'The Last Ship', Sting and Paul Simon found time to undertake an arena tour together across North America in February and March 2014 that saw them performing solo sets and together. These shows were extremely well received critically, and led to further dates in Australia, New Zealand and Europe in 2015. Immediately the tour with Paul Simon finished Sting then performed three sold out Last Ship benefit shows on Tyneside to benefit the Sage Gateshead’s 10th birthday appeal, and performed at a string of outdoor dates and festivals in Europe during summer 2015.

In Summer 2016, Sting and Peter Gabriel undertook the critically acclaimed "Rock, Paper, Scissors" tour - a short 21 date summer tour of North America. The dates saw Sting and Gabriel performing an intriguing set with both bands on stage throughout the performances even performing each other's songs. After a few solo summer European shows took place, Sting announced a new "rock" album '57th & 9th' (named after the location in NYC of the studio where the album was recorded) would be released in November 2016.

After a few solo summer European shows took place, Sting announced a new "rock" album '57th & 9th' (named after the location in NYC of the studio where the album was recorded) would be released in November 2016. The subsequent world tour in 2017 visited 104 cities in 41 countries around the world.

In March 2018, The Last Ship musical opened to widespread critical acclaim in Newcastle and toured around the provinces also visiting Dublin. The '44/876' album with Shaggy was released in April 2018 and the duo toured throughout the summer in Europe and North America with a number of shows in Central and South America. The album went on to win a Grammy in the Best Reggae Album category. Sting also took the role of Jackie White in The Last Ship's run at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto during its residency in February/March 2019 and will be reprising the role during the play's run in Los Angeles and San Francisco in early 2020.

In April 2019 the BMI announced that 'Every Breath You Take' had become it's most performed song hitting 15 million radio plays and replacing 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' at the top spot.

The first dates for 'Sting: My Songs' tour which commences in May 2019 have been announced promising a "rollicking, dynamic show focusing on the most beloved songs written by Sting and spanning the 16-time Grammy Award winner’s prolific career with The Police and as a solo artist". Accompanying the tour is 'My Songs' an album that finds Sting revisiting his most celebrated hits and which he described as "My life in songs. Some of them reconstructed, some of them refitted, some of them reframed, but all of them with a contemporary focus.”

As ever, Sting continues to intrigue and surprise…

© D&W/Sting.com 2019

Media | Markets

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▶ Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2ApWqsjfhuwyjooHr9YRyl
▶ Spotify 2: http://open.spotify.com/album/2lKs5704qlvP9V9muKZwqY
▶ Spotify 3: http://open.spotify.com/album/5kV0KBXfELibs6qQJLmOtg
▶ Spotify 4: http://open.spotify.com/album/3mVCQqgwEvwD7lHy9KHi7R
▶ Spotify 5: http://open.spotify.com/album/1rZTn68Lgr5J4F4vIpgpWf
▶ Spotify 6: http://open.spotify.com/album/0psHZUD4dKFmxEfEmGRCLB

Clips (more may be added)

Sting And Shaggy: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
By Sting

441 views

Sting Curated
pathways in

6 Singer-Songwriter

What's Been Happening?

Anoushka Shankar → Tanpura has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Sitar has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Singer has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Piano has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Multi-Cultural has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Journalist has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Indian Classical Music has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Film Scores has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Composer has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Anoushka Shankar → Author has been recommended via Sting.
- September 15, 2021
Shirazee → Singer-Songwriter has been recommended via Sting.
- April 17, 2021
Shirazee → New York City has been recommended via Sting.
- April 17, 2021
Shirazee → Benin has been recommended via Sting.
- April 17, 2021
Shirazee → Africa has been recommended via Sting.
- April 17, 2021
Burhan Öçal → Turkish Music has been recommended via Sting.
- October 9, 2020
Burhan Öçal → Turkey has been recommended via Sting.
- October 9, 2020
Burhan Öçal → Tanbur has been recommended via Sting.
- October 9, 2020
Burhan Öçal → Singer has been recommended via Sting.
- October 9, 2020
Burhan Öçal → Percussion has been recommended via Sting.
- October 9, 2020
Burhan Öçal → Kudüm has been recommended via Sting.
- October 9, 2020

ENGLISH (pra Portuguese →)

WHO IS INSIDE THIS GLOBAL MATRIX?

Explore above for a complete list of artists and other members of the creative economy.

WHY BRAZIL?

Brazil is not a European nation. It's not a North American nation. It's not an East Asian nation. It straddles — jungle and desert and dense urban centers — both the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn.

Brazil absorbed over ten times the number of enslaved Africans taken to the United States of America, and is a repository of African deities (and their music) now largely forgotten in their lands of origin.

Brazil was a refuge (of sorts) for Sephardim fleeing an Inquisition which followed them across the Atlantic (that unofficial symbol of Brazil's national music — the pandeiro — the hand drum in the opening scene above — was almost certainly brought to Brazil by these people).

Across the parched savannas of the interior of Brazil's culturally fecund nordeste/northeast, where wizard Hermeto Pascoal was born in Lagoa da Canoa (Lagoon of the Canoe) and raised in Olho d'Águia (Eye of the Eagle), much of Brazil's aboriginal population was absorbed into a caboclo/quilombola culture punctuated by the Star of David.

Three cultures — from three continents — running for their lives, their confluence forming a scintillatingly unprecedented fourth. Pandeirista on the roof.

Nowhere else but here. Brazil itself is a matrix.

✅—João do Boi
João had something priceless to offer the world.
But he was impossible for the world to find...
✅—Pardal/Sparrow

PATHWAYS
from Brazil, with love

THE MISSION: Beginning with the atavistic genius of the Recôncavo (per "RESPLENDENT BAHIA..." below) & the great sertão (the backlands of Brazil's nordeste) — make artists across Brazil — and around the world — discoverable as they never were before.

HOW: Integrate them into a vast matrixed ecosystem together with musicians, writers, filmmakers, painters, choreographers, fashion designers, educators, chefs et al from all over the planet (are you in this ecosystem?) such that these artists all tend to be connected to each other via short, discoverable, accessible pathways. Q.E.D.

"Matrixado! Laroyê!"
✅—Founding Member Darius Mans
Economist, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
✅—Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
President of Brazil

The matrix was created in Salvador's Centro Histórico, where Bule Bule below, among first-generation matrixed colleagues, sings "Chegou a hora dessa gente bronzeada mostrar seu valor... The time has come for these bronzed people to show their worth..."

Music & lyrics (Brasil Pandeiro) by Assis Valente of Santo Amaro, Bahia, Brazil. Video by Betão Aguiar of Salvador.

...the endeavor motivated in the first instance by the fact that in common with most cultures around our planet, the preponderance of Brazil's vast cultural treasure has been impossible to find from outside of circumscribed regions, including Brazil itself...

Thus something new under the tropical sun: Open curation beginning with Brazilian musicians recommending other Brazilian musicians and moving on around the globe...

Where by the seemingly magical mathematics of the small world phenomenon, and in the same way that most human beings are within some six or so steps of most others, all in the matrix tend to proximity to all others...

The difference being that in the matrix, these steps are along pathways that can be travelled. The creative world becomes a neighborhood. Quincy Jones is right up the street and Branford Marsalis around the corner. And the most far-flung genius you've never heard of is just a few doors down. Maybe even in Brazil.

"I am thrilled to receive your email! Thank you for including me in this wonderful matrix."
✅—Susan Rogers
Personal recording engineer: Prince, Paisley Park Recording Studio
Director: Music Perception & Cognition Laboratory, Berklee College of Music
Author: This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You

"Many thanks for this - I am touched!"
✅—Julian Lloyd Webber
That most fabled cellist in the United Kingdom (and Brazilian music fan)

"I'm truly thankful... Sohlangana ngokuzayo :)"
✅—Nduduzo Makhathini
Blue Note recording artist

"Thanks, this is a brilliant idea!!"
✅—Alicia Svigals
Founder of The Klezmatics

"This is super impressive work ! Congratulations ! Thanks for including me :)))"
✅—Clarice Assad
Compositions recorded by Yo Yo Ma and played by orchestras around the world

"Thank you"
(Banch Abegaze, manager)
✅—Kamasi Washington

RESPLENDENT BAHIA...

...is a hot cauldron of rhythms and musical styles, but one particular style here is so utterly essential, so utterly fundamental not only to Bahian music specifically but to Brazilian music in general — occupying a place here analogous to that of the blues in the United States — that it deserves singling out. It is derived from (or some say brother to) the cabila rhythm of candomblé angola… …and it is called…

Samba Chula / Samba de Roda

Mother of Samba… daughter of destiny carried to Bahia by Bantus ensconced within the holds of negreiros entering the great Bahia de Todos os Santos (the term referring both to a dance and to the style of music which evolved to accompany that dance; the official orthography of “Bahia” — in the sense of “bay” — has since been changed to “Baía”)… evolved on the sugarcane plantations of the Recôncavo (that fertile area around the bay, the concave shape of which gave rise to the region’s name) — in the vicinity of towns like Cachoeira and Santo Amaro, Santiago do Iguape and Acupe. This proto-samba has unfortunately fallen into the wayside of hard to find and hear…

There’s a lot of spectacle in Bahia…

Carnival with its trio elétricos — sound-trucks with musicians on top — looking like interstellar semi-trailers back from the future…shows of MPB (música popular brasileira) in Salvador’s Teatro Castro Alves (biggest stage in South America!) with full production value, the audience seated (as always in modern theaters) like Easter Island statues…

…glamour, glitz, money, power and press agents…

And then there’s where it all came from…the far side of the bay, a land of subsistence farmers and fishermen, many of the older people unable to read or write…their sambas the precursor to all this, without which none of the above would exist, their melodies — when not created by themselves — the inventions of people like them but now forgotten (as most of these people will be within a couple of generations or so of their passing), their rhythms a constant state of inconstancy and flux, played in a manner unlike (most) any group of musicians north of the Tropic of Cancer…making the metronome-like sledgehammering of the Hit Parade of the past several decades almost wincefully painful to listen to after one’s ears have become accustomed to evershifting rhythms played like the aurora borealis looks…

So there’s the spectacle, and there’s the spectacular, and more often than not the latter is found far afield from the former, among the poor folk in the villages and the backlands, the humble and the honest, people who can say more (like an old delta bluesman playing a beat-up guitar on a sagging back porch) with a pandeiro (Brazilian tambourine) and a chula (a shouted/sung “folksong”) than most with whatever technology and support money can buy. The heart of this matter, is out there. If you ask me anyway.

Above, the incomparable João do Boi, chuleiro, recently deceased.

PORTUGUÊS (to English →)

QUEM ESTÁ DENTRO DESTE MATRIX?

Explore acima para uma lista completa de artistas e outros membros da economia criativa global.

POR QUE BRASIL?

O Brasil não é uma nação européia. Não é uma nação norte-americana. Não é uma nação do leste asiático. Compreende — selva e deserto e centros urbanos densos — tanto o equador quanto o Trópico de Capricórnio.

O Brasil absorveu mais de dez vezes o número de africanos escravizados levados para os Estados Unidos da América, e é um repositório de divindades africanas (e sua música) agora em grande parte esquecido em suas terras de origem.

O Brasil era um refúgio (de certa forma) para os sefarditas que fugiam de uma Inquisição que os seguia através do Atlântico (aquele símbolo não oficial da música nacional brasileira — o pandeiro — foi quase certamente trazido ao Brasil por esse povo).

Através das savanas ressequidas do interior do culturalmente fecundo nordeste, onde o mago Hermeto Pascoal nasceu na Lagoa da Canoa e cresceu em Olho d'Águia, uma grande parte da população aborígine do Brasil foi absorvida por uma cultura caboclo/quilombola pontuada pela Estrela de Davi.

Três culturas — de três continentes — correndo por suas vidas, sua confluência formando uma quarta cintilante e sem precedentes. Pandeirista no telhado.

Em nenhum outro lugar a não ser aqui. Brasil é um matrix mesmo.

✅—João do Boi
João tinha algo inestimável pro mundo.
Mas ele era impossível pro mundo encontrar...
✅—Pardal/Sparrow

CAMINHOS
do Brasil, com amor

A MISSÃO: Começando com a atávica genialidade do Recôncavo (conforme "RESPLANDECENTE BAHIA..." abaixo) e do grande sertão — tornar artistas através do Brasil — e ao redor do mundo — descobriveis como nunca foram antes.

COMO: Integrá-los num vasto ecosistema matrixado, juntos com músicos, escritores, cineastas, pintores, coreógrafos, designers de moda, educadores, chefs e outros de todos os lugares (você está neste ecosistema?) de modo que todos esses artistas tendem a estar ligados entre si por caminhos curtos, descobriveis e acessíveis. Q.E.D.

"Matrixado! Laroyê!"
✅—Membro Fundador Darius Mans
Economista, doutorado, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
✅—Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Presidente do Brasil

O matrix foi criado no Centro Histórico de Salvador, onde Bule Bule no clipe, entre colegas da primeira geração no matrix, canta "Chegou a hora dessa gente bronzeada mostrar seu valor..."

Música & letras (Brasil Pandeiro) por Assis Valente de Santo Amaro, Bahia. Vídeo por Betão Aguiar de Salvador.

...o empreendimento motivado na primeira instância pelo fato de que em comum com a maioria das culturas ao redor do nosso planeta, a preponderância do vasto tesouro cultural do Brasil tem sido impossível de encontrar fora de regiões circunscritas, incluindo o próprio Brasil.

Assim, algo novo sob o sol tropical: Curadoria aberta começando com músicos brasileiros recomendando outros músicos brasileiros e avançando ao redor do globo...

Onde pela matemática aparentemente mágica do fenômeno do mundo pequeno, e da mesma forma que a maioria dos seres humanos estão dentro de cerca de seis passos da maioria dos outros, todos no matrix tendem a se aproximar de todos...

Com a diferença que no matrix, estes passos estão ao longo de caminhos que podem ser percorridos. O mundo criativo se torna uma vizinhança. Quincy Jones está lá em cima e Branford Marsalis está ao virar da esquina. E o gênio distante que você nunca ouviu falar tá lá embaixo. Talvez até no Brasil.

"Obrigada por me incluir neste matrix maravilhoso!"
✅—Susan Rogers
Engenheiro de gravação pessoal para Prince: Paisley Park Estúdio de Gravação
Diretora: Laboratório de Percepção e Cognição Musical, Berklee College of Music
Autora: This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You

"Muito obrigado por isso - estou tocado!"
✅—Julian Lloyd Webber
Merecidamente o violoncelista mais lendário do Reino Unido (e fã da música brasileira)

"Estou realmente agradecido... Sohlangana ngokuzayo :)"
✅—Nduduzo Makhathini
Artista da Blue Note

"Obrigada, esta é uma ideia brilhante!!"
✅—Alicia Svigals
Fundadora do The Klezmatics

"Este é um trabalho super impressionante! Parabéns! Obrigada por me incluir :)))"
✅—Clarice Assad
Composições gravadas por Yo Yo Ma e tocadas por orquestras ao redor do mundo

"Thank you"
(Banch Abegaze, empresário)
✅—Kamasi Washington

RESPLANDECENTE BAHIA...

...é um caldeirão quente de ritmos e estilos musicais, mas um estilo particular aqui é tão essencial, tão fundamental não só para a música baiana especificamente, mas para a música brasileira em geral - ocupando um lugar aqui análogo ao do blues nos Estados Unidos - que merece ser destacado. Ela deriva (ou alguns dizem irmão para) do ritmo cabila do candomblé angola... ...e é chamada de...

Samba Chula / Samba de Roda

Mãe do Samba... filha do destino carregada para a Bahia por Bantus ensconced dentro dos porões de negreiros entrando na grande Bahia de Todos os Santos (o termo refere-se tanto a uma dança quanto ao estilo de música que evoluiu para acompanhar essa dança; a ortografia oficial da "Bahia" - no sentido de "baía" - foi desde então alterada para "Baía")... evoluiu nas plantações de cana de açúcar do Recôncavo (aquela área fértil ao redor da baía, cuja forma côncava deu origem ao nome da região) - nas proximidades de cidades como Cachoeira e Santo Amaro, Santiago do Iguape e Acupe. Este proto-samba infelizmente caiu no caminho de difíceis de encontrar e ouvir...

Há muito espetáculo na Bahia...

Carnaval com seu trio elétrico - caminhões sonoros com músicos no topo - parecendo semi-reboques interestelares de volta do futuro...shows de MPB (música popular brasileira) no Teatro Castro Alves de Salvador (maior palco da América do Sul!) com total valor de produção, o público sentado (como sempre nos teatros modernos) como estátuas da Ilha de Páscoa...

...glamour, glitz, dinheiro, poder e publicitários...

E depois há de onde tudo isso veio... do outro lado da baía, uma terra de agricultores e pescadores de subsistência, muitos dos mais velhos incapazes de ler ou escrever... seus sambas precursores de tudo isso, sem os quais nenhuma das anteriores existiria, suas melodias - quando não criadas por eles mesmos - as invenções de pessoas como eles, mas agora esquecidas (pois a maioria dessas pessoas estará dentro de um par de gerações ou mais), seus ritmos um constante estado de inconstância e fluxo, tocados de uma forma diferente (a maioria) de qualquer grupo de músicos do norte do Trópico de Câncer... fazendo com que o martelo de forja do Hit Parade das últimas décadas seja quase que doloroso de ouvir depois que os ouvidos se acostumam a ritmos sempre mutáveis, tocados como a aurora boreal parece...

Portanto, há o espetáculo, e há o espetacular, e na maioria das vezes o último é encontrado longe do primeiro, entre o povo pobre das aldeias e do sertão, os humildes e os honestos, pessoas que podem dizer mais (como um velho bluesman delta tocando uma guitarra batida em um alpendre flácido) com um pandeiro (pandeiro brasileiro) e uma chula (um "folksong" gritado/cantado) do que a maioria com qualquer tecnologia e dinheiro de apoio que o dinheiro possa comprar. O coração deste assunto, está lá. Se você me perguntar de qualquer forma.